Golf ball carrier with golf ball release tab

Abstract

A ball carrier having a hollow tubular support member for holding a plurality of balls stacked axially therein and a ball release tab configured to release one ball at a time from an open end of the hollow tubular support member. The ball release tab may have a first stopper portion, a second stopper portion, and a manipulation portion. The ball release tab may be biased in a first position in which the first stopper portion impedes exit of the balls and may be actuated via the manipulation portion to a second position in which the first portion is rotated away from the balls and the second stopper portion impedes exit of the balls. When the ball release tab moves from the second position to the first position, the second stopper portion rotates away from the balls, allowing the ball resting on the second stopper portion to drop out of the ball carrier, while the first stopper portion rotates back toward the balls, impeding the next ball from dropping out of the ball carrier.

1. A golf ball carrier, comprising:
 a hollow tubular support member having at least one open end and configured to hold a plurality of golf balls stacked axially therein; 
 a base attached to the hollow tubular support member at or near the open end of the hollow tubular support member, wherein the base comprises a hollow central tube axially aligned with the hollow tubular support member and having one or more sidewalls with an opening formed therein; 
 a ladder having at least one vertical portion fixedly attached to the base proximate the opening formed therein and having at least one lateral portion; and 
 a ball release tab rotatably attached to the ladder, wherein the ball release tab is biased in a first position relative to the base, and operable to rotate to a second position relative to the base, the ball release tab including:
 a first stopper portion configured to extend into the hollow central tube in the first position and configured to extend outward of the hollow central tube in the second position, 
 a second stopper portion fixed to the first stopper portion and configured to extend outward of the hollow central tube in the first position and configured to extend into the hollow central tube in the second position, 
 a manipulation portion positioned outward of the hollow central tube and configured to actuate the ball release tab from the first position to the second position when pulled in a direction away from the hollow central tube, and 
 a pivot joint rotatably attached to the lateral portion of the ladder, wherein the first stopper portion, the second stopper portion, and the manipulation portion each extend in different directions from the pivot joint, 
 wherein an angle between the first and second stopper portions and a length of each of the first and second stopper portions is such that when the ball release tab is actuated from the first position to the second position and then back to the first position, only one golf ball is released from the hollow tubular support member. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The golf ball carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the ball release tab has a restraining portion located outward of the hollow central tube, positioned to contact a portion of the base and to resist rotation of the ball release tab from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       3. The golf ball carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing spring coupled with the ball release tab and configured to resist rotation of the ball release tab from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       4. The golf ball carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the ladder comprises two lateral portions, including one lateral portion about which the ball release tab rotates and another lateral portion configured to limit outward rotation of the first stopper portion in the second position.